Rich Reacts to the Brewers Taking a Commanding 3-0 NLCS Lead on the Dodgers

The baseball gods wink at you sometimes. After Game 3 of the NLCS, Rich thinks they are winking with both eyes.

Mike Del Tufo's Los Angeles Dodgers lost in Chavez Ravine and now trail the Milwaukee Brewers three games to none. The show went in expecting the Dodgers to show up. Chris was even eyeing a prop bet on Shohei Ohtani to homer.

Ohtani flew out to left on the first pitch of his first at bat, was hit by a pitch, walked, and did finally get a hit. "It did prove that he's not toast," Rich said. "But what does it matter now that they're down three games to none?"

The game turned on the exact decision that made Dave Roberts a champion in the first place. Jackson Chourio led off with a first-pitch home run for Milwaukee. Will Smith answered with a ball Rich was sure had left the yard. The park held it, two runs scored, and the Dodgers led 2-1 with Blake Snell dealing.

That is where Rich's memory went straight back to Game 6 of the 2020 World Series in Arlington. Snell was dealing for the Rays then, too. Five and a third innings in, he gave up a single to Austin Barnes, and out came Kevin Cash, because the third time through the order meant Mookie Betts was coming up.

"I'm like, what is he doing?" Rich said, remembering watching from home. Betts doubled, a wild pitch and a Corey Seager groundout followed, the Dodgers took a 2-1 lead, won 3-1, and won the World Series.

"But now here we are, crazily enough, wondering why Dave Roberts left Blake Snell in," Rich said. "Can you make it up?"

Snell had retired 14 straight going into the inning. He walked Andrew Vaughn, who was replaced by Christian Yelich at first base. Then Jake Bauers, the former Yankee, hit one 412 feet to give the Brewers the lead back, after almost homering on a ball he yanked foul just before it.

Rich singled out Tom Verducci for the story he told about Bauers on the broadcast: Bauers had been out of baseball and thinking about becoming a teacher, then found out his wife was pregnant and went back to baseball for the insurance. "This is what you want to hear from a sideline reporter or a dugout reporter," Rich said. The words were barely out of Verducci's mouth when Garrett Mitchell homered even further, 428 feet.

Roberts explained afterward that he was trying to get Snell three more hitters, that Snell "had his way with those two lefties," and that the leadoff walk hurt. "You got to give Bauers credit," Roberts said.

Rich bought it. "Makes sense, to be honest with you, every word he said," he said. It made more sense to leave Snell in than what happened in 2020. And if Roberts's button pushing has finally run its course, Rich borrowed from The Godfather: salute, and tip your cap.

The coincidences kept stacking. Game 4 lands on the 38th anniversary of the Kirk Gibson home run. The last team to come back from 0-3 in an LCS got sparked by a stolen base from Roberts himself, for the Red Sox against Rich's Yankees. And the dugout reporter for NBC that night 38 years ago was joining the show in hour two: Bob Costas.

"I told you this show is going to be off the rails fun and special," Rich said, "and it is."